Meanwhile, Jays’ manager John Gibbons says he expects Casey Janssen to be ready for opening day, but Brett Lawrie is touch and go

DUNEDIN, FLA. - Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero is working with pitching coach Pete Walker to “iron out” some mechanical wrinkles in the hopes of improving his wayward command, Jays’ manager John Gibbons said Tuesday. “It’s not a major thing, but we think it’s something that will help him.”

Romero typically throws across his body and Gibbons said he and Walker are working on tweaking his delivery to make it “more of a straight shot to home plate.”

“Sometimes guys who throw across their body they have trouble commanding the ball,” Gibbons said.

Gibbons said the changes to Romero’s mechanics are not dramatic. They would like to make his delivery more “free and easy,” while ensuring that his landing foot is directed towards the plate.

“There’s a couple things he and (Walker) picked up that is a little different from what he’s done in the past. So they’re trying to iron those things out. ... It’s nothing major, but it’s something we think will help his command.”

Romero is scheduled to pitch five innings in a minor-league game on Thursday, when the team travels south to Port Charlotte to take on the Tampa Bay Rays.

GIBBONS: JANSSEN SHOULD BE READY FOR OPENING DAY

If all goes according to plan through the final two weeks of spring training, Casey Janssen will be the Jays’ closer on opening day, Gibbons said Tuesday.

“Barring a setback, Casey should be fine. He won’t be ready to knock off three games in a row—he won’t be in that kind of setup—but if everything goes from here on out accordingly he should be ready to go.”

Janssen, who had surgery on his shoulder this offseason, took over as Jays’ closer midway through last season, saving 22 of 24 opportunities while posting a 2.54 ERA.

He has progressed slowly through the spring, pitching in his first game on Sunday at the Jays’ minor-league complex. He will pitch a bullpen session Tuesday.

Sergio Santos, who was acquired last offseason to be the Jays’ closer but missed almost the entire year with a shoulder injury, has stayed healthy thus far and is scheduled to pitch an inning in Tuesday’s game in Dunedin against the Houston Astros.

BLANCO CATCHES DICKEY

R.A. Dickey, recently returned from the World Baseball Classic, is pitching two innings in a minor-league game on Tuesday to stay on his regular five-day schedule.

“(Blanco)’s the only guy we haven’t seen do it ... but we know he can do it.”

Blanco caught Dickey seven times in 2010 when they were both with the New York Mets.

The Jays signed the light-hitting 41-year-old, known for his defensive prowess, to a non-guaranteed $750,000 contract specifically for his experience catching Dickey, who apparently told GM Alex Anthopoulos that Blanco could catch him “with chopsticks.”

Thole was Dickey’s primary catcher the last two seasons in New York, while the Jays’ starting catcher, J.P. Arencibia, has also made clear he would like to catch the knuckler. Arencibia has spent the most time catching Dickey since the two were paired together for the World Baseball Classic.

Dickey has said that he would like to begin working exclusively with whomever will catch him on opening day as soon as possible.

Gibbons said Tuesday it “won’t be too long before we decide which way we’re going to go.”

LAWRIE ON MEND

Brett Lawrie, who strained a rib muscle earlier this month while playing for Team Canada in a World Baseball Classic exhibition, might not be ready in time for opening day, Gibbons said.

“We’re not going to rush him just to get ready for that, because that leads to longer problems.”

Lawrie will do “rotational exercises” today with the hope that he can get into games by the weekend or early next week.

“He’s moving along, but there’s not a whole lot of time left so today’s a big day for him to find out how he feels after that.”

If Lawrie is unable to break camp with the Jays, Gibbons said Mark DeRosa would be his replacement at third base.